I think Netbackup has attempted to become too smart for its own good with the recent developments in vmware backups.
Whereas VCB took the entire VMX file, as an individual file (including all sorts of useful things, like RDM pointers etc), the new VADP integration seems to read the contents of the VMX file, and determines what information is relevant, discarding the rest.
So if you are using RDMs, I hope you have the volume mappings recorded somewhere else. And if you have a VMX file become corrupted, I hope you have a good record of VM memory configuration, disk pointers etc… because the only way I can see with the NB7.1 VADP setup to recover that 2KB text file is to restore the entire VM. Which for a larger VM can take quite a while…
From: veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu [mailto:veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu] On Behalf Of Simon Weaver
Sent: 01 April 2012 10:59
To: George Winter; VERITAS-BU AT MAILMAN.ENG.AUBURN DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] Restore of VM that has RDM's - missing after restore
Hi George
I understand RDM's cannot be backed up, thats not the actual issue here that I am seeing.
Here is a given scenario and the situation I am seeing:
1 x VM with C: Drive Windows OS and E Drive which is an RDM. The VM has NetBackup Client software installed.
I have a Flashbackup-windows policy for this VM and use all local drives. The backup of the VMDK works great, and I am NOT expecting to see the RDM present, so I know that will not be in the BAR Tool.
Here is the problem I am seeing:-
If the machine is recovered from NetBackup as a VMware Restored machine, it restores great, but there is NO E: Drive present. I understand RDM's cannot be backed up, but what I am trying to say is why is the E: drive missing after the restore? Does the VM configuration itself know that it has an RDM and try to reattach it if it can be seen?
If I have over 500 VM's and most have an E: Drive as an RDM Disk, then recovery of a VM is going to be pretty hard if the VM config doesnt know about the RDM.
Does this help explain the problem I am potentially seeing? Its just that I thought NetBackup protected the entire VM, including the configuration of the VM, even if it had an RDM Mapped (which I know cannot be backed up). If it knows it should have an RDM Mapped, then why does it not show it after the recovery of the VM?
Simon
From: George Winter [mailto:george_winter AT symantec DOT com]
Sent: 01 April 2012 00:05
To: Simon Weaver; VERITAS-BU AT MAILMAN.ENG.AUBURN DOT EDU
Subject: RE: Restore of VM that has RDM's - missing after restore
Hi Simon.
NetBackup for VMware does not backup devices that are accessed via Raw Device Mapping (RDM). Most RDM-based storage is configured in VMware’s “Physical Compatibility Mode”. In this mode there is no way to create a snapshot of an RDM device.
We suggest using a client to backup storage that is configured this way. If the Enterprise Client is used, advanced backup methods (e.g. off-host backups of mirrored storage) can be employed with VM backups and RDM’s.
-George Winter
Symantec Corporation
I may have missed something here, but wanted to check...
NBU 7.0.1 and doing full VM Backups, most of which have RDM's
I ran a test today on a VM Guest that has a single 10GB RDM. Performed the VMware Backups (Using the windows-flashbackup policy) and all fine.
Using the BAR Tool, I see the VM Guest which is fine and I am NOT expecting the RDM to be present, so I fully understand this!
But when I restore the VM (Overwrite the existing VM, use the same UUID, power on VM), this works great but the RDM that was mapped is no longer mapped.
Now, I thought that by capturing the VM Guest, it meant that any RDM that was assigned would get re-attached once the VM guest was restored.
Or have I missed the point?
